Shohei Ohtani’s Interpreter Fired , Amid Allegations of ‘Massive Theft’.<br />Ippei Mizuhara, the Dodgers' interpreter for Ohtani, was fired on March 20, ESPN reports. .<br />Ippei Mizuhara, the Dodgers' interpreter for Ohtani, was fired on March 20, ESPN reports. .<br />Mizuhara, a longtime friend of Ohtani, allegedly wired at least $4.5 million to a bookmaking operation in Southern <br />California to cover his gambling debts.<br />At first, a spokesman for Ohtani and Mizuhara <br />said that the baseball star purposefully transferred the funds to pay his friend's gambling debt.<br />At first, a spokesman for Ohtani and Mizuhara <br />said that the baseball star purposefully transferred the funds to pay his friend's gambling debt.<br />I dug myself a hole and it kept on <br />getting bigger, and it meant I had to <br />bet bigger to get out of it and just kept <br />on losing. It's like a snowball effect, Ippei Mizuhara, to ESPN.<br />Obviously, he [Ohtani] wasn't happy <br />about it and said he would help me <br />out to make sure I never do this again. <br />He decided to pay it off for me. , Ippei Mizuhara, to ESPN.<br />I want everyone to know Shohei had <br />zero involvement in betting. I want people <br />to know I did not know this was illegal. <br />I learned my lesson the hard way. <br />I will never do sports betting ever again, Ippei Mizuhara, to ESPN.<br />Later, both the spokesperson and <br />Mizuhara walked back their claims.<br />In the course of responding to <br />recent media inquiries, we discovered <br />that Shohei has been the victim of a <br />massive theft, and we are turning <br />the matter over to the authorities, Berk Brettler LLP, via statement.<br />Obviously, this is all my fault, <br />everything I've done. I'm ready <br />to face all the consequences, Ippei Mizuhara, via statement.<br />Southern California bookmaker <br />Mathew Bowyer, whom the wire transfers <br />were sent to, is also being investigated.<br />Sports betting is currently illegal in California
